Open Your Eyes

When I started this blog, I made sure I was very intentional about what I wanted this blog to be. I even dedicated the title of this blog to that idea. LYEATT: Leave Your Ego at the Threshold (Door).

I don’t know everything. Heck, I don’t know a lot of things. In all the time I have spent thinking, I have come to only one single idea that should be universally embraced by everybody: we, individually, have no way of possessing all the knowledge in the world.

That may seem obvious, but I’m convinced that this lies at the heart of almost all the world’s problems. Our narcissism leads us to craft our own narratives and focus on that which appeals to and feeds that narrative.

If you think I’m talking about religion or social matters, you’re only partially right. But really, this applies to everything. It is EXTREMELY applicable to the business world, too.

Because what happens when we fixate our minds on a single idea?

The thinking stops.

The only thinking that is done is that which fuels our narratives. Our minds are closed to new paths and new ideas that may lead to new enlightenment our minds never would have thought of on our own.

In what ways are you closing your mind?

Is your business on an inevitable downward spiral as new technology has made you obsolete?

Are the processes in your organization that are causing more harm than good?

Have you let one or two bad experiences with the church close yourself off from trying again?

Is your leadership creating an environment that fosters fear instead of creativity?

Admittedly, this form of thinking is scary. Opening our minds to the unknown inevitably opens our minds to all the bad things we can think.

But in today’s world, we don’t have a choice. I somewhat touched upon this idea in my post about Frank Ocean. Major record labels are likely on that inevitable downward spiral because an independent artist like Ocean demonstrated he can execute a major deal with Apple Music without them. New technology and communication channels have radically changed the way we used to do business, and if we hope to continue to succeed, we have no choice but to embrace new ideas.

Again, ask yourself the ways in which you are closing your mind.

The time to open your eyes was yesterday.